FIC: The Promise
Title: The Promise
Author: sleeper6
Characters: Luke/Reid
Rating: PG
Summary: The comment fic series continues: Will Luke move out after all?
Disclaimer: All belongs to the As the World Turns, not me.
Notes: For the FFF prompts Walk of Shame and Promises. This one was longer so I had to post here instead.
The House
The Ride
The Night That Didn’t Happen - Part I
The Night That Didn’t Happen - Part II
Say It
Reid opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as he tried to adjust to the light filling the room. He touched his head and groaned. He could feel it throbbing. Shit, he could almost hear it too.
This is why I shouldn’t drink so much, Reid thought as he rubbed his forehead.
He then turned to his right and groaned louder as his eyes focused on the body lying next to him. Fuck, that is why I shouldn’t drink at all.
“Good morning, sunshine,” the voice said cheerfully.
“Don’t call me that.”
“How you feeling?”
“Did this really happen?” Reid cried out when he felt his bicep being pinched.
“You’re not dreaming so, yeah, it really happened,” the voice next to him said with a laugh.
Reid rubbed his eyes. “What the hell have I done?”
“It’s okay. I won’t tell.”
“Did anyone see us?” Reid asked.
“The regulars, some doctors, a few nurses.”
Reid sighed. “I can’t keep them from talking, can I?”
“Just threaten them like you always do.”
Reid snorted.
“So . . . Luke’s really moving out?”
Reid shut his eyes, his fears confirmed.
“What are you gonna do about it?”
Reid looked at Chris. “What were you doing at Yo’s, anyway? Thought the wifey never let you out of the house.”
“For Doctor Happy Hour, she does,” Chris said.
Reid stared up at the ceiling. “How come I don’t get invited to those anymore?”
“Thought the hubby didn’t let you out of the house,” Chris said, laughing.
“Luke and I are not married,” Reid said firmly.
Chris lay on his side and looked at Reid. “But you’re in love, and two people in love shouldn’t be living apart.”
Reid groaned. “Tell me you’re not seriously going to give me advice on my love life.”
“Hey, Katie and I have been together as long as you and Luke so I haven’t done so bad.”
“So why are you sleeping in the guest room with me instead of in your bedroom next to her?” Reid said with a smirk.
“She lets me go out and drink as long as I sleep it off in here. Doesn’t want Jacob or Lyla to ever see me drunk.”
Reid’s eyes widened. “You slept with me the entire night?”
Chris nodded. “It’s okay. You don’t snore. And don’t worry; I kept my hands to myself.”
“You better have.”
“Now, if it’d been Luke, I can’t say I’d have done the same,” Chris said before dissolving into laughter.
Reid hit Chris’s shoulder.
“You know what I’m talking about. Luke is really something. You’re not gonna do better than him.”
Reid thought about that. It was true. Luke was special, one-of-a-kind. Chris was right-there wouldn’t be anyone better than Luke. Actually, there would be no one after Luke. And that wasn’t because Reid was that bad a catch. Luke had helped him considerably, especially in the personality department. Thanks to Luke, Reid wasn’t as cold, rude, and sarcastic as he’d been years before. He was still himself-slightly cold, rude, and sarcastic-but a lot more approachable. The handsome guy at Yo’s last night definitely thought so.
Reid yawned. But even though the guy had a muscular body and eyes that promised a lot more than his mouth said, Reid hadn’t been interested. And one of the main reasons for that was because the guy wasn’t Luke.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Chris said. “Mr. Smiley from the bar.”
Reid remained silent. Damn Doogie for knowing him so well.
“It would’ve been a mistake,” Chris continued. “So you’re welcome.”
Reid laughed dryly. “For keeping me from getting laid?”
“For keeping you from ruining your relationship with Luke.”
“I’ve already done that.”
“You can still save it.”
“You think so? Even after hearing everything I’m guessing I said about me and him?”
“The fact that you got drunk to relieve the hurt you feel says something, no?”
Reid rubbed his forehead again. Thankfully, the pounding had decreased. “He tried. A few days ago, he tried to . . . save us but I screwed that up.”
“You told him it didn’t mean anything so now you have to tell him that it did. Show him,” Chris said.
Reid looked suspiciously at Chris. “Did the wife put you up to this?”
Chris pouted exaggeratedly. “I’m hurt. I thought we were friends.” He gently hit Reid’s shoulder with his fist. “Just looking out for you, man.”
“He doesn’t want to be with me anymore. That’s why he’s leaving.”
“Or maybe he’s leaving because he thinks you want him to.”
“I don’t.”
Chris sat up and started pushing Reid out of the bed. “Then go tell him. Go, before it’s too late.”
Reid sat up too. The pounding increased. Shit. “It’s not that easy.” He massaged the sides of his head with his fingers. “Could I get some water?”
“Yeah, of course,” Chris said, standing and walking to the door. He opened it and pointed out. “Just go through the front door and walk ten blocks to your house. I’m sure Luke will give you all the water you need.”
Reid narrowed his eyes.
“You two made promises to each other, which I actually didn’t know about until you blurted it out last night. You promised to love him all the days of your life. You can’t just walk away from that.”
Reid didn’t know why he was listening to Chris and even thinking about doing what he was advising. But there he stood, unable to move.
“I may not know everything that went wrong in your relationship, but I’m sure it’s fixable. You two wouldn’t still be living together after breaking up months ago if you couldn’t stand each other.”
Reid scratched the top of his head as he stared at the floor. “I don’t know where to start.”
Chris walked to Reid and pulled him toward the door. “Start by going home and talking to him.” Chris pushed Reid out. “You’re a brain surgeon. You’ll figure it out from there.”
Reid turned to face Chris. “Hey, um, about last night, if you, uh, hadn’t been there . . .”
“I didn’t do it just for you. I did it for Luke too. I couldn’t have him seeing you that drunk.”
Reid nodded.
“Oh, one more thing: you should order the staff to delete all videos and photos of you or else. Let’s just say there were quite a few camera phones pointed your way last night.”
“Great,” Reid muttered as he waved at Chris and walked out.
Reid opened the front door and quietly shut it behind him. It was only seven-thirty on a Saturday. He guessed Luke was still asleep in the downstairs guest room, which had been serving as his temporary bedroom since the breakup. Reid touched his head once more and crept to the kitchen to search for ibuprofen. He walked in and froze as his eyes fell upon Luke, freshly showered and casually dressed, standing beside the island. He was dipping a teabag into a mug.
“Uh, good morning,” Reid said before quickly walking to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He almost downed the entire bottle before pausing mid-sip to find Luke staring at him. “What?”
Luke looked down at the mug in his hands. “Do I know him?”
Reid was confused. “Huh?”
“The guy whose home you walked shamefully from,” Luke said in a low voice as he looked Reid up and down.
Reid followed Luke’s gaze and then furiously shook his head. “No, no, no, I didn’t-I didn’t.”
“You don’t have to explain anything, Reid. You’re free to do what you want,” Luke said.
“I’m only wearing the same clothes from yesterday because I didn’t sleep here.”
“Obviously.”
“Luke, no, I meant I-”
Luke picked up his cup. “Like, I said, you don’t have to explain.” Luke began walking off.
“Hold on, hold on,” Reid said loudly as he followed Luke and grabbed his arm.
“Don’t touch me,” Luke said, glaring at Reid.
Reid pulled back. He’d always thought he was used to Luke’s anger, but in the recent months-with all the fighting, debating, and arguing-he’d learned that Luke’s rage didn’t have limits.
Luke was breathing loudly as he stared at Reid. “I don’t need to know, okay? I shouldn’t have asked.” He turned to walk away.
“Don’t go.” Luke kept walking. “Don’t leave, Luke.”
Luke stopped and faced Reid.
Reid pointed at his wrinkled clothes. “I slept over at Chris and Katie’s. That’s all.” When he noticed Luke relax at his admission, Reid mentally coached himself. Okay, I can do this. “I don’t want you to move out, Luke.” There, he said it.
After a long moment of silence, Luke asked, “Why?”
“Because I promised I’d never leave you. You did too, remember?” Reid asked with a crooked smile.
Four years into their relationship, Reid vowed to remain next to Luke “until I become maggot food.” Luke had playfully swatted Reid’s head before reciting the exact vow to Reid. There had been nothing special about that day-both said their declarations on the couch in the living room after arriving home from work and then went out for pizza later that night-but it was still one of the most important days of both their lives.
Luke stared at Reid.
Red approached Luke. “What do you say?” He held out his hand. “Will you stay?”
Author: sleeper6
Characters: Luke/Reid
Rating: PG
Summary: The comment fic series continues: Will Luke move out after all?
Disclaimer: All belongs to the As the World Turns, not me.
Notes: For the FFF prompts Walk of Shame and Promises. This one was longer so I had to post here instead.
The House
The Ride
The Night That Didn’t Happen - Part I
The Night That Didn’t Happen - Part II
Say It
Reid opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as he tried to adjust to the light filling the room. He touched his head and groaned. He could feel it throbbing. Shit, he could almost hear it too.
This is why I shouldn’t drink so much, Reid thought as he rubbed his forehead.
He then turned to his right and groaned louder as his eyes focused on the body lying next to him. Fuck, that is why I shouldn’t drink at all.
“Good morning, sunshine,” the voice said cheerfully.
“Don’t call me that.”
“How you feeling?”
“Did this really happen?” Reid cried out when he felt his bicep being pinched.
“You’re not dreaming so, yeah, it really happened,” the voice next to him said with a laugh.
Reid rubbed his eyes. “What the hell have I done?”
“It’s okay. I won’t tell.”
“Did anyone see us?” Reid asked.
“The regulars, some doctors, a few nurses.”
Reid sighed. “I can’t keep them from talking, can I?”
“Just threaten them like you always do.”
Reid snorted.
“So . . . Luke’s really moving out?”
Reid shut his eyes, his fears confirmed.
“What are you gonna do about it?”
Reid looked at Chris. “What were you doing at Yo’s, anyway? Thought the wifey never let you out of the house.”
“For Doctor Happy Hour, she does,” Chris said.
Reid stared up at the ceiling. “How come I don’t get invited to those anymore?”
“Thought the hubby didn’t let you out of the house,” Chris said, laughing.
“Luke and I are not married,” Reid said firmly.
Chris lay on his side and looked at Reid. “But you’re in love, and two people in love shouldn’t be living apart.”
Reid groaned. “Tell me you’re not seriously going to give me advice on my love life.”
“Hey, Katie and I have been together as long as you and Luke so I haven’t done so bad.”
“So why are you sleeping in the guest room with me instead of in your bedroom next to her?” Reid said with a smirk.
“She lets me go out and drink as long as I sleep it off in here. Doesn’t want Jacob or Lyla to ever see me drunk.”
Reid’s eyes widened. “You slept with me the entire night?”
Chris nodded. “It’s okay. You don’t snore. And don’t worry; I kept my hands to myself.”
“You better have.”
“Now, if it’d been Luke, I can’t say I’d have done the same,” Chris said before dissolving into laughter.
Reid hit Chris’s shoulder.
“You know what I’m talking about. Luke is really something. You’re not gonna do better than him.”
Reid thought about that. It was true. Luke was special, one-of-a-kind. Chris was right-there wouldn’t be anyone better than Luke. Actually, there would be no one after Luke. And that wasn’t because Reid was that bad a catch. Luke had helped him considerably, especially in the personality department. Thanks to Luke, Reid wasn’t as cold, rude, and sarcastic as he’d been years before. He was still himself-slightly cold, rude, and sarcastic-but a lot more approachable. The handsome guy at Yo’s last night definitely thought so.
Reid yawned. But even though the guy had a muscular body and eyes that promised a lot more than his mouth said, Reid hadn’t been interested. And one of the main reasons for that was because the guy wasn’t Luke.
“You’re thinking about him, aren’t you?” Chris said. “Mr. Smiley from the bar.”
Reid remained silent. Damn Doogie for knowing him so well.
“It would’ve been a mistake,” Chris continued. “So you’re welcome.”
Reid laughed dryly. “For keeping me from getting laid?”
“For keeping you from ruining your relationship with Luke.”
“I’ve already done that.”
“You can still save it.”
“You think so? Even after hearing everything I’m guessing I said about me and him?”
“The fact that you got drunk to relieve the hurt you feel says something, no?”
Reid rubbed his forehead again. Thankfully, the pounding had decreased. “He tried. A few days ago, he tried to . . . save us but I screwed that up.”
“You told him it didn’t mean anything so now you have to tell him that it did. Show him,” Chris said.
Reid looked suspiciously at Chris. “Did the wife put you up to this?”
Chris pouted exaggeratedly. “I’m hurt. I thought we were friends.” He gently hit Reid’s shoulder with his fist. “Just looking out for you, man.”
“He doesn’t want to be with me anymore. That’s why he’s leaving.”
“Or maybe he’s leaving because he thinks you want him to.”
“I don’t.”
Chris sat up and started pushing Reid out of the bed. “Then go tell him. Go, before it’s too late.”
Reid sat up too. The pounding increased. Shit. “It’s not that easy.” He massaged the sides of his head with his fingers. “Could I get some water?”
“Yeah, of course,” Chris said, standing and walking to the door. He opened it and pointed out. “Just go through the front door and walk ten blocks to your house. I’m sure Luke will give you all the water you need.”
Reid narrowed his eyes.
“You two made promises to each other, which I actually didn’t know about until you blurted it out last night. You promised to love him all the days of your life. You can’t just walk away from that.”
Reid didn’t know why he was listening to Chris and even thinking about doing what he was advising. But there he stood, unable to move.
“I may not know everything that went wrong in your relationship, but I’m sure it’s fixable. You two wouldn’t still be living together after breaking up months ago if you couldn’t stand each other.”
Reid scratched the top of his head as he stared at the floor. “I don’t know where to start.”
Chris walked to Reid and pulled him toward the door. “Start by going home and talking to him.” Chris pushed Reid out. “You’re a brain surgeon. You’ll figure it out from there.”
Reid turned to face Chris. “Hey, um, about last night, if you, uh, hadn’t been there . . .”
“I didn’t do it just for you. I did it for Luke too. I couldn’t have him seeing you that drunk.”
Reid nodded.
“Oh, one more thing: you should order the staff to delete all videos and photos of you or else. Let’s just say there were quite a few camera phones pointed your way last night.”
“Great,” Reid muttered as he waved at Chris and walked out.
Reid opened the front door and quietly shut it behind him. It was only seven-thirty on a Saturday. He guessed Luke was still asleep in the downstairs guest room, which had been serving as his temporary bedroom since the breakup. Reid touched his head once more and crept to the kitchen to search for ibuprofen. He walked in and froze as his eyes fell upon Luke, freshly showered and casually dressed, standing beside the island. He was dipping a teabag into a mug.
“Uh, good morning,” Reid said before quickly walking to the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He almost downed the entire bottle before pausing mid-sip to find Luke staring at him. “What?”
Luke looked down at the mug in his hands. “Do I know him?”
Reid was confused. “Huh?”
“The guy whose home you walked shamefully from,” Luke said in a low voice as he looked Reid up and down.
Reid followed Luke’s gaze and then furiously shook his head. “No, no, no, I didn’t-I didn’t.”
“You don’t have to explain anything, Reid. You’re free to do what you want,” Luke said.
“I’m only wearing the same clothes from yesterday because I didn’t sleep here.”
“Obviously.”
“Luke, no, I meant I-”
Luke picked up his cup. “Like, I said, you don’t have to explain.” Luke began walking off.
“Hold on, hold on,” Reid said loudly as he followed Luke and grabbed his arm.
“Don’t touch me,” Luke said, glaring at Reid.
Reid pulled back. He’d always thought he was used to Luke’s anger, but in the recent months-with all the fighting, debating, and arguing-he’d learned that Luke’s rage didn’t have limits.
Luke was breathing loudly as he stared at Reid. “I don’t need to know, okay? I shouldn’t have asked.” He turned to walk away.
“Don’t go.” Luke kept walking. “Don’t leave, Luke.”
Luke stopped and faced Reid.
Reid pointed at his wrinkled clothes. “I slept over at Chris and Katie’s. That’s all.” When he noticed Luke relax at his admission, Reid mentally coached himself. Okay, I can do this. “I don’t want you to move out, Luke.” There, he said it.
After a long moment of silence, Luke asked, “Why?”
“Because I promised I’d never leave you. You did too, remember?” Reid asked with a crooked smile.
Four years into their relationship, Reid vowed to remain next to Luke “until I become maggot food.” Luke had playfully swatted Reid’s head before reciting the exact vow to Reid. There had been nothing special about that day-both said their declarations on the couch in the living room after arriving home from work and then went out for pizza later that night-but it was still one of the most important days of both their lives.
Luke stared at Reid.
Red approached Luke. “What do you say?” He held out his hand. “Will you stay?”